Boy From the South
by Ginger Outlaw
Summary: There's something about a boy from the South. OC/ Daryl.
1. Chapter 1

Hello my dear reader. I have not been writing in a long time. This is my first WD fan fic and boy am I excited!

Quick note: I generally will not spend a long time explaining who characters are and introducing them. I'm assuming that everyone watches the show so their appearance and general attitude is already apparent to you. Anyway, just want to say that I obviously do not own anything Walking Dead related. Kirkman is a genius. And I hope everyone is reading the comic! It's amazing!

* * *

_I'm hell on heels_

_Say what you will_

_I've done made the devil a deal_

_He made me pretty_

_He made me smart_

_And I'm gonna break me a million hearts_

_I'm hell on heels_

_Baby, I'm coming for you_

"Hell on Heels" by Pistol Annies

* * *

The Georgia heat was unbearable.

And she was out of gas.

"Fuck," She muttered, grabbing her revolver and backpack from the passenger seat.

She threw the door open, slung the backpack over her shoulders, and hopped down from the lifted Ford Bronco. There wasn't anything to do now but walk. She tucked the Western revolver into the waistband of her denim shorts and trudged forward along the empty highway.

* * *

He'd been driving twenty minutes when he saw her. She was walking in the opposite direction that he was traveling. He slowed down, looking her up and down, admiring her legs in her tiny shorts, her tight little white tank top, and her cowboy boots. He wondered why such a pretty girl was by herself during such desperate times.

"Hey, you need a ride?" He called out to her as he stopped the Jeep.

She looked warily at him and brushed her wavy blonde hair out of her eyes.

"Where you goin'?" She asked in a Georgia drawl, her hand resting on her revolver. She had noted his wandering eyes.

"Back to my camp. There's a group of survivors."

She paused and looked at him skeptically.

"What do you mean survivors? Why aren't y'all in Atlanta? It's supposed to be safe there."

The man ran a hand through his thick black hair and then rubbed the stubble on his strong jaw.

"You mean you haven't heard?" He asked.

She shook her head.

"Sorry to tell you, but the city is overrun. Ain't many people left around here."

She stepped up to the window of his black Jeep, noting his police uniform shirt.

"What do you mean, officer?" She asked as she studied his face carefully.

"I mean that it wasn't the safe haven the government promised. Everyone in the whole city is a walker."

He watched her face darken.

"You've seen this with your own eyes?" She asked.

He nodded impatiently.

"Look princess, I don't mind given you a ride back, but we need to hurry."

She tilted her head and looked up at him with deep green eyes.

"What's your name officer?" She asked, leaning sideways onto the Jeep.

"Officer Walsh, but you can call me Shane."

She nodded and walked around the Jeep, hopping into the passenger side.

"Much obliged Shane. But don't you ever fuckin' call me 'princess' again."

* * *

"What's your name?" Shane asked as he sped along the empty Georgia highway.

"Clementine," She replied, staring straight ahead.

"Clementine? You must be pretty Southern." He remarked, glancing down at her firm legs.

"Guess you could say that," She mumbled.

He smirked.

Clementine wasn't interested in this tool at all, but it was obvious that he didn't know that. He was good looking, cocky, and probably thought he could get any girl he wanted.

"Little girl like you know how to use that gun?" He asked, glancing at the antique revolver in her hand.

She looked down at it. The grip was wooden and the brassy barrel was intricately engraved with swirling patterns.

"This was my great grandaddy's gun." She remarked, staring at it affectionately.

"What was he, some sort of outlaw?" Shane asked with a laugh.

She turned and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Yeah," She answered plainly and looked out the window again.

With this little hard body next to him, he almost didn't even lust for Lori. Almost. Sure she wasn't the friendliest girl he'd ever met, but boy was she smoking. He knew that no matter what way he looked at it, he was in love with Lori. He'd loved her since he met her; outraged that she'd chosen Rick over him. But now Rick was gone. He was all she had. He knew that. Didn't mean he couldn't flirt around though. Or more. What Lori didn't know, wouldn't hurt her.

Finally, they pulled off the main road and followed a dirt road for about ten minutes. Shane stopped the Jeep beside an older RV and jumped out. Clementine hopped out with her gear and walked around the Jeep to stand beside him. She holstered her revolver in her waistband. An older bearded man with a bucket hat stood atop the RV with a rifle and looked down at them.

"Hey, Shane. Who's the new face?" The man called out.

"Dale, this is Clementine. I found her walking along the highway by herself."

Dale looked perplexed, but waved down to Clementine and sent her a friendly smile.

"Let me introduce you to everyone, princess." Shane said, placing his large hand on the small of her back and ushering her towards a group of tents.

Clementine rolled her eyes, but allowed herself to be toted around the camp, curious to meet the rest of the group. At a nearby campfire circle sat an Asian man and two young women, watching over a boy and girl playing tag.

"Glenn, Andrea, and Amy, this is Clementine. She was walking along the highway so I picked her up." Shane stated.

The three waved at her.

"What were you doing alone?" The girl that Shane had indicated as Amy asked.

Clementine paused and took a deep breath.

"I was headed toward Atlanta to find my parents and my truck ran out of gas." She replied rather forlornly.

The three nodded in sympathy.

"It's a good thing Shane picked you up before you got to Atlanta." Glenn stated with a grim expression.

Clementine looked up at him, feeling vulnerable.

"My parents… do you think they might still be alive if they lived there?" She asked Glenn hopefully.

Glenn paused. He shrugged and shook his head again.

"Honestly, I don't know. It's possible, but unlikely." He replied sadly.

Clementine nodded gloomily and allowed Shane to usher her onwards. Shane pointed out the little boy with brown hair and a lanky, tall blonde girl that were running around.

"This is Carl and Sophia. Their moms are over here." He said, as he led her to a lake.

The lake was rather large and was cut out of the rock. Clementine assumed it had been a quarry at one point. The water looked cool and inviting. It promised a refreshing reprieve from the Georgia sun. Three women knelt on the shore doing laundry. They turned when they heard Shane approaching, but looked extremely surprised to see Clementine. The tallest one had long brown hair and bangs. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Shane's hand placed on Clementine's lower back. The woman's scathing look did not escape Clementine's notice.

"Clementine, this is Carol, Lori, and Jacqui. Carol is Sophia's mother and Lori is Carl's mother."

Clementine awkwardly nodded hello to them.

"I found her walking along the highway and headed towards Atlanta." Shane added as an explanation.

Carol and Jacqui waved her a friendly hello, but Lori stared her down.

"Shane, I think we need to talk." Lori commanded, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the lake.

"Wait here," Shane ordered as he walked away with Lori.

Clementine raised her eyebrows and turned to face the remaining two women. They were conversing amongst themselves, so she quietly sat down beside them.

"How long have ya'll been out here?" Clementine asked once their conversation had lulled.

The two women paused, thinking back.

"About two weeks, does that sound right Jacqui?" Carol replied.

Jacqui nodded as she rinsed a shirt free of soap in the water.

"Guess I didn't realize how bad it was." Clementine mused.

She knew there was a viral outbreak, but she never imagined it could be this widespread. Clementine had spent the past few weeks hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail. When she returned to the starting point, she found no park rangers, no other hikers, and only emergency broadcasts on the radio. She hastily drove towards Atlanta to find her parents without knowing exactly what to expect. Luckily she had a wide range of helpful gear with her from the trail including her one person tent, a sleeping bag, some extra food, warm clothes, a flashlight, and her gun. Sure carrying a concealed weapon without a license was illegal, but as a lone female hiker she felt it was a risk well worth taking. She watched as Shane walked back towards her, Lori stamping behind him.

"Come on. Let's go." He said as he pulled her up.

He led her away from the lake and back towards the tents. A skinny man with a mustache and baseball cap sat outside of a tent, watching the children play.

"Jim, this is Clementine. She was on her way to Atlanta on foot when I found her."

Jim nodded to her and offered a hand, which she shook.

"That's a mistake you don't want to make." Jim mumbled.

"Jim lost his family in Atlanta." Shane explained as he ushered her to the next tent.

A middle aged man lay on a cot inside the tent. His eyes were closed.

"Ed, this is Clementine. Ed is Carol's husband."

Ed didn't bother opening his eyes or saying anything to Clementine.

"Hey! Ain't you gonna bring that girl 'round here to introduce her to me?" A gruff voice called out.

Clementine turned to see a tall muscular man with cutoff sleeves standing by the camp fire circle and staring her down. He was at least in his mid-thirties and had a wide grin on his face. He strolled over and looked her up and down.

"Nice catch, officer. What's your name sweet cheeks?" He asked as he circled her, nodding in approval.

"Merle, leave her alone. Come on, Clementine." Shane said tiredly.

Merle's face broke into another grin.

"Clementine? Well aren't you just a Southern belle?" Merle laughed.

He stepped towards her. She stood her ground and stared up into his blue eyes. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Maybe we can share a tent and you can show me some Southern hospitality."

Clementine leaned into him, placing her small hands on his chest and tiptoeing so she could reach his ear. She knew Merle's type. Heck, she had spent her whole life growing up around good ol' boys like him, falling in love with them and breaking their hearts. She didn't understand Shane's type, but she knew men like Merle like the back of her hand.

"I ain't exactly the hospitable type." Clementine whispered playfully back with a wink.

Merle's grin widened. Not liking how the situation was developing, Shane put his hands on her shoulders and steered her away from him.

"Hey, catch you later sweet cheeks!" Merle called out from behind them.

Clementine turned to look back at him, her hands balled into fists. A younger man was approaching Merle. He was equally as tall as Merle, sweaty, dirty, and had a crossbow slung across him. He didn't even look her way.

"Who is that?" She asked Shane.

"Huh? Oh that's Merle's brother Daryl." Shane replied, glancing over his shoulder.

"Sorry about that. Merle isn't exactly the nicest guy here."

Clementine shrugged.

"I ain't exactly the nicest girl either." She replied as she smiled and flipped open the butterfly knife she had lifted from Merle's front pocket.

* * *

And that's that! Hope you like it! Please review and let me know if I should continue the story.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey ya'll. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Just want to say that your reviews really encourage me to keep writing. Also, the title and description of this fan fic is inspired from Pistol Annies' song "Boys from the South." Yeah they're country (and I know that's not everyone's thing), but I think everyone should check them out. Some of their songs like "Hell on Heels" and "Bad Example" inspired Clementine's character. Just wanted to give credit where credit is due.

Anyway, I do not own WD! Although I sure do love it!

* * *

_I feel no shame _

_I'm proud of where I came from_

_I was born and raised in the boondocks_

_One thing I know_

_No matter where I go_

_I keep my heart and soul _

_In the boondocks_

"Boondocks" by Little Big Town

* * *

Shane had introduced Clementine to the rest of the camp occupants. It was his turn to go on watch and he cautioned her against wandering around alone in the forest. Glad to be free of him, she sat on a large boulder in the shade by the lake and laid back. She felt confident that since the camp was positioned in such a secluded area there would be no walkers. Clementine hadn't actually seen a walker up close before, but she'd heard the reports of television and the radio. She almost didn't believe such a thing was possible. She closed her eyes, wondering how the whole city of Atlanta could be overrun and if her parents were safe.

Her mind wandered to the group that had just taken her in. They seemed friendly enough, but she was still on edge. If what Shane said about Atlanta being overrun was true, then she was lucky to have stumbled across a civil bunch of people. Unfortunately it seemed that calamity brought the worst out in humans. She wasn't the friendliest or most talkative girl, but she knew that she needed to secure friends here. Maybe she could find someone that would be willing to go into Atlanta with her and help her look for her parents. Shane seemed like a huge annoyance and an unlikely candidate. Besides, Clementine doubted that Lori would let him out of her sight.

Clementine heard footsteps and felt a presence in front of her. She opened her eyes to see Merle. She looked up at him expectantly.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

He quirked a little side smile.

"Alright sugar, where is it?" He asked.

Clementine sat up.

"What do you mean?" She questioned innocently.

He snorted and extended his hand out to her.

"Come on sweet cheeks, I know you took it."

Clementine pursed her lips and smoothed her wavy blonde hair back. She shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said with a smirk.

Merle sat down on the boulder next to her. He put his mouth close to her ear.

"Little girl, I will not hesitate to search all of your pockets and strip you down to find my knife."

Clementine grinned and began laughing. She pulled the folded knife out of her bra and placed it in his open hand. She motioned him to come closer to her.

"Merle, don't forget you ain't the only bad one here." She whispered in his ear.

Merle reared his head back laughing. He lightly shoved her shoulder.

"You're alright girl, you know that? I like your style." He said through laughter.

Merle's brother was walking towards the empty lake, a towel in hand.

"Hey Daryl!" Merle shouted.

"Get over here! You gotta meet this girl."

Daryl hesitated and then walked towards them, looking extremely unimpressed.

"This is my little brother, Daryl." Merle said as he motioned to Daryl.

Clementine gave him a friendly wave as she admired his muscular body and handsome face. He was wearing a plaid shirt with cut off sleeves and jeans. Another good ol' boy. She had a feeling that she'd be getting real close with these two. After all, she was most likely raised in a trailer park or two away from these guys.

"I'm Clementine." She drawled, with a smile.

Daryl nodded and looked away.

"Don't mind him. He's just scared to talk to pretty girls." Merle laughed as he hopped off the boulder and threw an arm around Daryl.

"No I ain't," Daryl muttered, pushing Merle away.

Clementine stood and stretched with her arms above her head, knowing both men had their eyes on her.

"Well I'm gonna leave you boys here. I'd better go set up my tent before it gets dark. Nice talkin' to ya'll."

She hopped off the boulder and stocked off without looking back.

_Boys are so predictable_, she thought with a grin on her face.

* * *

"Thanks so much, Dale." Clementine said with a genuine smile as he helped her set up her tent.

She had set it up solo dozens of times, but found she couldn't refuse Dale's genuine kindness.

"Oh it's no problem, Clementine. Are you sure you wouldn't rather sleep in the RV with Andrea and Amy? I think we could squeeze you in too." He asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"No I couldn't impose myself. I'm just glad Shane found me. Dale, tell me something. Is it as bad as they say?" She asked in earnest.

Dale seemed like a stand-up guy. She hardly knew him but he reminded her a bit of her father. Sure he was older, but he was paternal and moral. Those were two great qualities. She knew he would tell her what it was really like out there. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm really sorry Clementine, but what Shane said is true. You said you hadn't even seen a walker? Well you've been extremely lucky so far. Let's hope you don't have to encounter one for a very long time. My wife and I were camping and… Well let's just say I saw firsthand what happens to those that get bitten."

The older man suddenly looked depressed.

"I'm so sorry Dale. I didn't know. That's horrible." Clementine said honestly.

He shrugged his shoulders and frowned.

"Well at least we all have each other. I know it may not seem like it, but we've all become very close. We're all each other have now."

Clementine nodded as Dale turned to walk away. It was hard for her to imagine that these strangers would be the closest thing she had to family anymore. She didn't care what any of them said, she was going to search for her parents. They didn't live in the heart of Atlanta, but near the CDC. There was likely to be military presence there so hopefully they were in a protected area. She thought that maybe in a couple of weeks she might be able to convince Merle and his brother to help her find them.

She spread out her sleeping back and lay down, thinking about them. Merle had a rough exterior, but he seemed like a good guy. Clementine had spent some time bartending and she knew all about those outspoken hick boys. Generally they were the ones with the biggest emotional hurt. The reason was always different, sometimes women and sometimes family issues, but the pain was always real for them. They tried to hide their aching behind witty remarks. But that never fooled Clementine. A few whiskeys in and she knew their whole story.

She found Daryl to be more mysterious. He was closer to her age of twenty-five she suspected, but he had seemed relatively uninterested by her presence earlier. Clementine didn't really care. She wasn't looking for a boyfriend. She just wanted to survive in this brand new world. So many things had changed and she felt so confused and exposed. She just needed a few good friends and a healthy dose of reality.

* * *

The sky was rapidly darkening and she wandered out of the tent to find everyone sitting around the fire. Half a dozen small critters were roasting on a spit over the fire. Clementine recognized them immediately as squirrel. She sat down in an empty spot next to Glenn.

"I haven't had squirrel in a coon's age. Who shot 'em?" She asked with a smile.

"Daryl did. You actually like squirrel?" Glenn asked, surprised.

Clementine smiled.

"My daddy used to hunt 'em. I went with him. Although, I couldn't bring myself to actually do any killing." She replied.

She glanced across the fire and caught Daryl studying her. She smiled at him and looked away. The group ate their small dinner together and discussed their lives before the dead began to walk.

"What did you do Clementine?" Shane asked her.

She set down the remnants of her squirrel and paused to think.

"I was a bartender for a while. Just a rambler I suppose. I kind of traveled around and found odd jobs. I was a tattoo artist for a bit." She replied.

Everyone nodded, but Clementine noticed as Lori rolled her eyes. Clementine was not one to hesitate on calling people out but she held her tongue, not wanting to embarrass Lori in front of Carl.

"Sounds like my kind of woman!" Merle added in drawing laughs from a few in the group.

* * *

As the fire began to die out, everyone returned to their tents or the RV. Clementine bid everyone a good night and walked the short distance to her tent. She lay down and tried hard not to think about the possibility that her parents were truly gone. A lone tear streaked down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, chastising herself for crying.

_You don't even know if they're gone. You gotta stay strong_. She told herself.

Suddenly she felt claustrophobic in the tent. She unzipped her sleeping bag and walked out. Only embers remained in the fire pit. She looked south to the lake. The reflection of the moon was bright and drew her in like a moth to a flame. Clementine stood at the edge of the lake staring up at the stars. She couldn't help but remember searching the sky for constellations with her daddy every time they went camping. She sighed and hoped that he and her mama were staring up at the same summer sky right now and thinking about her.

"You shouldn't be out here alone,"

His voice startled her so badly that she jumped. Her hand was on her revolver in an instant. She turned to see Daryl about five feet away.

"Good Lord, you scared me." She exhaled with her heart still thumping hard.

While he stood quietly and gazed at her, she noticed just how penetrating his blue eyes were. It made her feel a little uncomfortable, like he could see through her, see all of her secrets. Not sure what else to do, she stared back at him. His hair was messy and he had a bit of scruff on his chin and stubble over his lip. He held his crossbow at his side, ever ready for a walker attack she assumed. He seemed just as mysterious as earlier.

She smiled placidly at him and turned to walk away.

"Clementine," He called.

She turned, surprised to hear his voice again.

"I ain't scared to talk to a pretty girl."

She laughed lightly and walked back to her tent. As she unzipped her tent, she turned and glanced back towards the lake. He was already gone.

* * *

Thank your for your reviews!

Annelisa: Thank you for pointing out my error with "Glen" and "Glenn." I have no idea how that slipped by me! And yes, I totally agree with a lot of stories stereotyping Merle. I think he is a way more complex individual than he is assumed to be. I have a feeling you'll like the next upcoming chapter when I flesh out his back story.

DBugMom: Thanks for your feedback!

Angela: Thanks for the review and I'm really glad you like the story. I haven't read too many other Walking Dead fan fictions, but I really don't think that a weak and naïve character would really be able to survive or catch Daryl's attention. He'd probably find her more of an annoyance than anything else. I want Clementine to be a strong female character, but we all have some weaknesses. So eventually we'll be exploring hers.

Leyshla Gisel: Glad you like Clementine and the chapter! Thanks for the review!

Miyu the Fangirl: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! I thought that would be an interesting and unexpected twist to normal OC and Merle interactions.

* * *

And that's the second chapter! Just want to let you guys know that I have final exams this week and next so I will try to update, but forgive me if I can't. Please review and let me know what you think! Bye guys!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone. Finals are over and I'm officially a college senior now! Geez time seems to fly by.

Wow, did everyone see that last episode of WD? Pretty crazy stuff, right? But we know Daryl will survive nearly any apocalyptic situation thrown his way, so I'm not too worried. And it helps that you could see he's still alive in the previews for the next episodes in February!

Anyway, here is Chapter 3. I'm going to warn y'all, it's sad. This is my interpretation of Merle's past. Here we go…

* * *

_But you went away_

_How dare you?_

_I miss you_

_They say I'll be okay_

_But I'm not going to ever get over you_

"Over You" by Miranda Lambert

* * *

Clementine awoke before the sun was up. She stepped out of her tent with a towel and a small bottle of shampoo in hand and inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh woodsy air. Jim sat atop the RV with a rifle, surveying for any sign of walkers. She waved to him and he tipped his baseball cap to her. Then she headed towards the lake, eager to wash up.

The blue water was calm and flat, a sharp contrast to the rocky crags of the walls that surrounded the lake. Clementine set her towel down and pulled off her cowboy boots. She lifted her tank top over her head and scooted out of her shorts. In just her bra and underwear, she waded into the cool water and then ducked under the surface. After nearly a minute, she popped up and pushed her long hair out of her face. Clementine rubbed the sweat, dirt, and grit off her body as she stood waist deep in the water and wondered if this was one of the only peaceful places left in the world.

* * *

He was walking in a tract of forest that butted up to the lake. He'd seen deer tracks there the other day and it bothered him to know that a buck might be visiting the lake every morning without him knowing. An adult buck was a large source of meat that could feed the camp for a while. That's how he stumbled upon her accidentally.

She was standing in the water, facing away from him, and washing her hair. The water rose up to just before her firm behind, revealing tiny black boy shorts. He could see a tattoo in an old fashioned font on her lower back. He squinted, but couldn't make out what it said. His eyes continued to trail up her body to her back. She had a large tattoo of a classic pinup girl that spanned its entirety. The pinup was a cowgirl wearing cowboy boots, a short skirt, western shirt, and a cowboy hat over her thick red locks. She held a revolver in one hand and a bottle of Jack in the other, with a "Don't fuck with me" look on her face. The black band of her bra cut through the pinup's waist. She sank in the water to wash the suds off and then stood once again, this time facing him. Her body was toned, but curvy in all the right places. She had two revolver tattoos above her hip bones aimed down into her boy shorts.

"Damn," He whispered, knowing she couldn't see him through the thick trees.

"Didn't think you'd be one to spy on bathing women, little brother." Merle said as he clapped Daryl on the back.

Daryl jumped and stumbled forward gripping his crossbow.

"Shit Merle, don't sneak up on me like that."

Daryl ran his hand through his hair, attempting to appear casual.

"And I wasn't spying on her. I was just walking by." He added defensively.

Merle looked at him skeptically.

"Ya wanna know what the one on her back says, don't ya?"

"Don't even know what you're talking about." Daryl replied gruffly and stalked into the woods.

Merle watched him disappear and shook his head with a smile.

* * *

"Mornin' Clementine." Merle called out.

She was floating on her back with her eyes closed and enjoying the serenity that early Georgia mornings provided.

"Hey Merle. Whatcha doin' up so early?" She asked as she straightened up.

"Habit." He replied as he sat down.

Clementine nodded thoughtfully.

"Same."

Merle looked at her passively.

"You know something, you ain't like the other girls here." He remarked.

"What do ya mean?"

"You don't judge me and Daryl. You're the only one that's taken a chance to actually talk to us and not distance yourself right away."

Clementine smiled and swam a bit closer.

"Well, I suspect that's because we're from the same side of the tracks." She replied and stood.

Merle admired her body, but didn't leer as she walked forward to grab her towel.

"Nice tats." He said looking at her revolvers.

"Thanks. Check this out,"

She turned around and swept her hair forward to reveal her pinup. Across her lower back read "Outlaw" in a Western font.

"Why 'outlaw'?" He asked.

She wrapped herself in the towel and sat beside him.

"It's my last name." She laughed.

"No shit," He replied with a smile.

She nodded and then suddenly looked serious.

"So Merle, what's your story?" She asked, staring straight into his blue eyes.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket and offered her one, which she declined. He put the cigarette in his mouth and inhaled deeply as he lit the tip of it. He exhaled smoke forcefully and stared back at her.

"What makes you think I got a story?"

She waved the smoke out of her face and suppressed a cough.

"Merle, I was a bartender. I know who's got a story and who don't. You sure as hell have a story."

He nodded.

"Fair enough. So basically you want to know what makes me act like the son of a bitch that I am today?" He asked in a serious tone.

She nodded. His eyes glazed over slightly as he stared out across the lake, attempting to organize his thoughts.

"It was pretty simple," He began.

"I fell in love with a girl when I was about your age. She was a pretty little thing like you, all legs and long blonde hair. We met when she was my waitress at one of those themed drive-ins where the girls wore skates and brought your food to your car window. When I saw her skating up to my old pickup, my heart just about stopped, she was so beautiful. I came back every night she worked for two weeks and tried to get her number. She finally agreed to go out on a date with me and I knew she was gonna be my wife.

"After we'd been together for a nearly a year, I decided I was gonna ask her to marry me. I just didn't know when the time would be right to propose. So I kept waiting. I knew I had to make it perfect for her. This girl deserved only the best. I carried the ring around on every date we went on, just waiting. One day I went to pick her up for a date and she said she had news for me. She sat me down on her parent's couch and told me I was gonna be a daddy."

He paused and took another deep drag. As he exhaled the smoke curled around him, making him appear older than he was.

"Well, I was ecstatic. All I could think about was being a great father to that kid, you know, better than how my dad was to me. I asked her to marry me right then and there. Of course she said yes. We were in love. We went out to celebrate at a fancy restaurant. She ordered herself lobster and we got her favorite dessert."

"I can still see her beautiful smile. It was a perfect night. I was the happiest I'd ever been. I was driving her home, thinking about where we could rent an apartment or get a trailer together."

He stopped for a moment.

"I guess God had other plans for us. A drunk driver ran a red light and broadsided us. She died. Her and my baby died."

A single tear ran down his face.

"Lord knows I wonder everyday why he didn't take me. She was so innocent."

Merle broke off and stopped talking. Clementine placed a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, we'll never understand why things happen in this world." She replied.

Merle nodded and finished his cigarette.

"I just can't deal with the pain, so I drink, I do drugs, and I just try to escape. Everyone thinks I'm an asshole, but no one looks beneath the surface." He explained sadly.

Clementine frowned.

"She wouldn't want you to do any of those things." She softly stated.

Merle crushed the cigarette in the sandy dirt.

"I know that. I think about that after I come down from every high, after I wake up hung over, after I kick girls out of my room that reminded me of her when I was shitfaced the night before. But I'm so goddamned weak. I ain't got no self-control."

Clementine brushed her still wet hair out of her face.

"What was her name?" She asked gently.

"Ashley," He said.

Then he stood and walked away. Clementine turned to watch him.

"His was a sad story," She whispered to herself.

* * *

Leyshla Gisel: The Dixons are more fun, aren't they? And it doesn't hurt that Daryl is one good looking zombie hunting badass, now does it? :D

Annelisa: Thanks for your good luck wish! I hope you liked this chapter. I really wanted to portray Merle as a complex character. I don't think he's as shallow as everyone assumes. He's a guy that's so easy to hate, but no one looks past that façade.

DBugMom: Glad you like it! I originally didn't like Merle either, so writing this has kind of opened me up to the potential complexity of characters and people. I hope you continue to like Merle and that the upcoming chapters suit your fancy.

FanFicGirl10: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

* * *

Sorry if I've depressed you, but I think it was about time we tackled Merle's demons.

Thank you to everyone who reviews! You guys are the ones that keep me going and drive me to write. Bye everyone and please review if you get a chance!


	4. Chapter 4

Hello my fine readers. I'm already going through WD withdraws. XD

I will attempt to put up two chapters this week because I will be going on vacation to Yellowstone National Park and Jackson, Wyoming next week! Yay!

Oh and I do not own anything WD related. All characters, besides Clementine, belong to Kirkman, a genius. And for those who only watch the show and do not read the comic, please do yourself a favor and read the comic. I would venture to say the comic is better than the show (except there are no Dixons in it).

* * *

_You can run on for a long time_

_Run on for a long time_

_Run on for a long time_

_Sooner or later God'll cut you down_

_Sooner or later God'll cut you down_

"God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash

* * *

Clementine had been with the group a week before she saw her first walker.

She was sitting on the soft grass outside of her tent reading.

"Whatcha reading?"

She looked up through the bright sunlight to see Shane studying her.

"It's called _The Road_."

"Any good?"

"Kinda reminds me of our situation." She answered as she shielded her eyes from the rays.

"How's that?"

He wiped sweat from his brow and sat beside her.

"It's about a father and son that are attempting to survive in post-apocalyptic society, while avoiding vagrants that have lost all sense of humanity."

"Huh,"

By his vacant expression, she could tell he hadn't been really listening to her. Clementine paused a moment to stare at him. He was hiding something. She was certain of it. His body was tensed up. He reminded her of a rattlesnake, ready to strike and lash out at the next unfortunate soul that disturbed it.

"Do you need anything?" She asked pointedly, closing the book.

Shane was quiet, staring forward across the camp.

"Shane? I asked you something."

Clementine snapped her fingers in his face. His dark eyes focused on her in a dangerous manner. She could sense instability in their depths. He licked his lips and then pushed himself up from the ground.

"Look, I don't know you well. And I got the feeling that you don't really like me, but I've got something to tell you." He said quietly, quickly, with eyes darting side to side conspiratorially.

She stared up at him blankly. Unimpressed.

"What Shane?" Clementine sighed.

He looked back up to the camp and across the camp fire circle to where Merle and Daryl's camp was situated.

"Merle is a real bad man. A young girl like you shouldn't be around him or his brother." Shane started, pointing his finger in their direction.

Clementine rolled her eyes and slammed her book down.

"Already told you, Shane. I ain't the nicest girl either. Now I'd appreciate it if you left me the fuck alone."

She stood, tossed her book into the tent, grabbed her revolver, and stomped towards the lake. She passed Andrea, Glenn, and Amy sitting on her usual boulder in the shade. She stiffly nodded to them and pushed through the dense brush into the forest.

"Where are you going, Clementine?" Andrea called out to her.

"For a walk. I've got my gun. Don't worry." She shouted back.

* * *

In the span of the week that Clementine had been with the group, she hadn't managed to forage any real friendships with anyone besides Merle. She occasionally sat and talked with Andrea and Glenn. Besides Daryl, they were the only ones similar in age to her at the camp. They didn't impress her much though. Glenn was a sweet kid, but a little too urban for Clementine. She liked her men inked up and riding choppers. Andrea and Clementine didn't have anything in common. Andrea was college educated and had held down a steady job before the world went to shit. They mainly limited contact to playing cards and talking about books they had borrowed from Dale.

Most of the day that she wasn't reading, Clementine spent in the company of Merle. She would swim in the lake and they would converse about their lives, past loves, and drunken nights that still haunted them. She knew that everyone found their friendship odd, as they routinely warned her about his unruly and socially unacceptable behavior. Clementine had even earned a sit down talk from a worried Dale. She patiently explained that they were just friends and smiled politely.

Truth was that she felt like she could tell Merle anything. Sure he cursed, catcalled, drank, and maybe had a stash of drugs in the saddle bag of his bike, but he knew true pain and loss. Once he had dropped his exterior, she was addicted to his stoic personality. She knew it was selfish, but it felt good to know that she wasn't the only one that had suffered in her life. Daryl never joined them. Occasionally he would sit on the opposite end of the sandy shore and sharpen his hunting knifes, but he never so much as glanced their way.

That boy was still an enigma.

* * *

She had wandered into a clearing in the woods and found a monstrous oak standing before her. Branches stretched so wide that their shade chocked out sunlight from other plants. Spanish moss hung from the tree's sturdy arms and draped downward like thick vines. A white fluttering caught her eye. She peered upwards to find a beautiful tawny barn owl on a lower branch. He hunched down and studied her, swinging side to side to decide if she was a threat.

She was still.

Finally satisfied that she wouldn't do harm, the barn owl turned back the business of preening himself. She sat on the leaf scattered ground and stared up at him. His delicate beauty was striking. He perked up his head, glared behind her, stretched his wings, and gracefully flew from his perch.

She smelled it before she heard it. After all, the smell of rotting flesh is not very forgiving.

It was shuffling through the leaves, dragging its feet and moaning. Clementine turned to see what was once a young brunette woman. She wore a tattered and blood soaked light blue pantsuit, with no shoes. She was no older than thirty, ankle broken with her bone exposed. Her foot was rolled at an unnatural angle and Clementine shuddered every time she lugged it a step forward. Half her face was devoid of flesh, exposing her white skull, the black depths of her nasal cavity, and ravenous snapping teeth. The rest of her skin was grey and sloughing from her body.

As Clementine quickly climbed to her feet, she realized that there was no humanity left in this monster. The others had been right. The virus left people horrid animals. She marched forward to the beast and stuck the barrel of her revolver to its forehead. She pulled the trigger, felt the immense sound of the gun shot rumble through her body, and watched the fiend crumple to the ground.

"Fuck," She muttered, kneeling down to examine what was left of its face.

She covered her mouth and watched as maggots, agitated from the bullet entering their home, festered out. Clementine stood and vomited.

"Fuck this," She whispered and walked back toward the camp.

* * *

Shane and Daryl intercepted her before she made it back.

"What happened?" Shane asked angrily, slinging his shot gun across his body, and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Why were you out here alone? Didn't I warn you?" He continued.

She slid his hands off of her.

"Walker. I took care of it myself and don't fuckin' touch me." She muttered as she brushed past him.

She looked up at Daryl. He was holding his crossbow and smirking, most likely because of what she'd just said to Shane. Shane stood rooted to his spot. Clementine doubted many people talked to him like she just had. She followed Daryl back in the direction of camp. Maybe it was the adrenaline from pumping a bullet into her first walker, but she was feeling bold. She reached out and tapped Daryl's shoulder.

"Why don't you ever talk to me?" She asked as he looked back at her.

His piercing blue eyes met hers. The intensity of his look made her swallow hard.

"Why the hell would a pretty girl like you be interested in someone like me?" He asked staring at her hard.

"Cause maybe I ain't like the other pretty girls you've met before." She countered.

He looked her up and down, unconvinced. She looked away, wishing she had said something wittier, and actually was somewhat relieved to hear Shane stomping up behind her; anything to get her out of that cold gaze. Daryl turned away from her and led the three of them from the forest.

* * *

Shane rallied the group together around the campfire circle and Clementine found herself sitting between Merle and Daryl.

"Listen up everyone. For those of you wondering what that gunshot was, Clementine found a walker in the woods not too far from here. Well that's a problem. But we have a bigger problem. We are running out of food and we've used up all the supplies in the small towns nearby. We are going to have to split up and send some people to Atlanta to scavenge. Now this is a big deal. We can't have all of our best gunmen going to Atlanta and leave ourselves unprotected here, especially if there are walkers so close by."

Shane used the back of his hand to wipe sweat from his brow and looked around.

"Anyone willing to volunteer?"

T-Dog, Andrea, Glenn, Morales, Daryl, Merle, and Clementine raised their hands.

"Alright. Glad we have so many people, but I'd feel more comfortable if Daryl and Clementine stayed behind."

Clementine looked up at Shane questioningly and then scanned the faces of the group. Lori's gaze was so searing that Clementine was surprised Shane didn't catch fire. Shane ignored her and continued.

"Daryl, we need you for hunting, especially since we're so short on food." Shane said, making a rare moment of eye contact with Daryl, before turning towards Clementine.

"And Clementine, you aren't ready to go into Atlanta. You've only killed one walker. You don't understand how bad the city is."

She tensed her body and was ready to fight back, but felt a hand on her shoulder.

"He's right, you know." Merle stated.

Clementine rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Just lookin' out for you girl." Merle added in a resigned tone.

"Alright, well it's settled. Tomorrow at daybreak you guys will drive out to Atlanta to scavenge. Glenn knows the city well, so he will be in charge of deciding which ways to go. In addition to a gun, I want all of you that plan to go to bring a more silent weapon, like a knife. We know that noise attracts the walkers, so in the city a melee weapon will be more effective. Guns are a last resort. Got that?" Shane asked.

Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog, Morales, and Merle nodded.

"Get some rest tonight. All of you will need to be alert tomorrow."

With those final words, the camp meeting concluded and people began to scatter in their various directions to complete their usual tasks. Daryl stood and walked away, leaving Merle and Clementine together. She wasn't worried that Merle wouldn't come back. He was the toughest son of a bitch she'd ever met. The man seemed practically bullet proof, for all the trouble he'd gotten himself into and escaped unscathed. She'd only known him for a week, but she felt some brotherly love for him.

"Merle, what am I gonna do while you're gone? Who am I gonna talk to and get in trouble with?" Clementine asked, while stifling a yawn with her hand.

"Oh don't you worry, Clem. Daryl will take good care of you."

Merle's face was dead serious as he walked away, leaving Clementine pondering his parting words.

* * *

Review Responses:

Annelisa: Thanks for the review. I know it was sad. I guess I just wanted to bring to light a different side of Merle than is normally portrayed. I think people with lots of hurt in their lives tend to try to defend themselves with humor or meanness to prevent people from realizing just how sad they really are.

DBugMom: Glad you liked it! I definitely will keep writing. I'm having too much fun to stop! Thanks for your reviews.

Dr Moustachio Girl: Eh... I wouldn't say he actually got with Carol. Every time that "relationship" was kind of implied I was just like, _you've got to be kidding me Kirkman! Don't even go there_! I don't think Daryl's a perv. Come on, if the situation was switched up and you were the one in the woods wouldn't you take a peek? I know I would! :P Hahahaha. Anyway, I'm so very glad that you like this fanfic and I hope you keep reading. Glad to hear from you.

Wolfhappiness: Thanks for the review! Yeah no worries: Clementine may have built a friendship with Merle, but now she will start interacting with Daryl more. So we'll see where that goes!

FanFicGirl10: I thought that this explanation of his past would help us understand his actions more. Glad you agree. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Leyshla Gisel: I'm sorry you didn't like it. :( This was just my interpretation of Merle's past. I know that once you have strong feelings and ideas about a character it's hard to change that. However, I do hope you continue to read! Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter more than the last. Thanks for your review.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! I will try to update before I leave on my trip. Please review and let me know what you think. Happy Holidays! Bye ya'll.


	5. Chapter 5

And here I am again. Feeling like a bad author as usual. Sorry I haven't updated in forever. I had so much work this past semester... but now it's summer vacation! :D

I actually wrote this chapter before my non-writing hiatus, but never got around to publishing it. Hope you enjoy it. I think it's an interesting insight into Clementine's past. Hopefully the Walking Dead is still relevant to your lives. (I wasn't gone that long was I?)

As always, I do not own anything Walking Dead related and I urge you to read the comic! Also, check out Invincible by Kirkman. It's amazing!

* * *

_Leaving's hard… trust me, it's really bad_

_It'll shake ya, damn-near break ya, it always has_

_You don't go until you're praying to break even,_

_Until staying's worse than leaving_

"Staying's Worse than Leaving" by Sunny Sweeney

* * *

Clementine stepped over his limp body and lightly padded to the bathroom, taking care to avoid the broken glass. She gently closed the door and pushed the lock button down.

She turned and faced the splintered mirror. The shards of glass fragmented outwards from one point of impact. He'd cracked her head against that mirror nearly two months ago. She studied her face in between the fissures. Her lip was fat. Her eyebrow was split. Her eye was already turning purple. Blood dripped down the side of her face and onto her silky white shirt.

"Just look at you, sweet pea."

Her father's strong and tall form appeared behind her. She stared into the mirror, wondering just how hard Sam had hit her for her to hallucinate.

She was silent. Her biggest fear was her father finding out about Sam's violence. She knew he would literally kill her husband for this crime against his daughter.

"He hit you all the time?"

She nodded.

"And why do you stay with him?"

She shrugged, a tear streaking down her face.

"Cause I ain't got another choice daddy."

Her father put a hand on her shoulder. She could almost feel its warmth radiating into her.

"Clem, you know that ain't true."

Clementine whipped around and her daddy was gone. She suspected he wasn't really there to begin with.

"Fuck," she muttered as she dug through her makeup bag looking for a bottle of Advil she always kept stashed there. Her head was pounding and her pride was damaged.

She'd lost count of how many times he'd beat her. The first time was shortly after they'd gotten married. Clementine was bringing home more money as a bartender then Sam was making as bike mechanic. Sam couldn't seem to handle the fact that his wife was going to be more successful than him. He slapped her in the heat of the moment during an intense argument. From the look on his face, she knew he instantly regretted it. She gave him the silent treatment for a week, but did nothing more.

Eventually they made up and he swore to her he'd never lay his hands on her again. She believed him. Now, three years into their marriage, Sam was routinely getting drunk and beating her every couple weeks. She even had to quit work because she couldn't hide the signs of abuse from her coworkers any longer. Besides, battered bartenders didn't make very good tips.

Every time he sobered up he promised it would never happen again. And she wanted to believe him. For the next few days after he'd hurt her, he'd bring her presents and treat her nice like he used to. She knew she was falling into a cycle of abuse, but she loved him.

Her father's words gave her some strength and cleared her muddled thoughts.

She was going to leave him for good this time. No abusive "love" was worth her life and she felt if this continued she very well might lose her own.

She opened the bathroom door and quietly walked into their bedroom, trying not to look at his passed out drunken body. He was lying on his back, hand still holding a half broke vodka bottle. She knew she'd have awhile till he woke up from his stupor, but she worked quickly anyway at gathering up her possessions. Clementine was in the middle of dumping her clothes into her trekking backpack, when she heard him gurgling. She cursed herself, knowing instantly what happened. She rolled him on his side as he vomited. He may have beaten her, but she still didn't want him to aspirate on his own vomit and die.

She stood and walked back into the bedroom to continue packing. She didn't know where she'd go. Her parents couldn't see her like this. She changed out of her blood splattered shirt and pulled on a little white tank top with her jeans. She grabbed her great grandaddy's revolver that she'd kept hidden from Sam in a box of photos under the bed.

_Better safe than sorry_, she thought as she placed it her backpack.

Walking past Sam's limp body, she felt the urge to kick him in the head with her cowboy boot but suppressed the feeling. Instead she spat on him and threw her wedding and engagement ring at his feet. With a smile on her face, she grabbed her pair of aviator sunglasses and slipped them on to cover her black eye. She seized her truck's keys and happily walked from her trailer down the gravel path to her truck, ignoring the questioning stares of her neighbors as she walked past. She unlocked her pickup and threw her bag onto the passenger side. Then she peeled out of her driveway feeling rather triumphant.

Maybe she'd hike part of the Appalachian Trail for a couple of weeks. She'd done week treks alone before and always left her camping gear in the pickup for impromptu trips when things with Sam got really bad. She had some extra cash to pick up food and water. It was a perfect plan.

Some alone time was just what she needed to clear her mind of Sam. Clementine knew she didn't love him anymore. She hadn't loved him for a long while. And it was obvious that the bastard didn't really care for her either. She gritted her teeth as she realized just how long she had endured Sam's senseless abuse.

"How could I have done that to myself?" She wondered aloud.

Clementine had always been the strong girl. The girl that didn't take shit from anyone and gave hell to anyone that messed with her. Sam had crumpled her, made her weak. She'd find a divorce lawyer once she returned from a little soul searching.

_Never fucking again_, she thought to herself as she drove further from the city and towards the wilderness.

* * *

"You alright?" A gruff voice asked, shifting her from an emotional reverie.

She was lying back on the boulder by the lake in the early dawn light with dried tears on her face. She slowly opened her deep green eyes and stared up at him. Daryl had never seen another person look so vulnerable and full of pain before. She sniffed loudly and pushed herself into a sitting position, suddenly embarrassed.

"I'm fine, just remembering something from before. Since Merle left, it seems like I've lost my only friend." Clementine said as she wiped her face off hurriedly.

Daryl held his crossbow at his side and silently studied her face. She'd obviously been crying. He noted a rather large scar across her eyebrow that looked as though it had healed within the last month.

"What happened to your eyebrow?" He asked, motioning to the spot on his own.

The pain flashed in her eyes again.

"Oh, nothing. Some dumb shit I did when I was a kid, I think." She lied, not making eye contact.

He watched her silently for a few moments before she transformed back to the confident Clementine he'd seen interact with his brother.

"What are you doing up so early? Did you come here for my good looks or what?" She asked with a smirk.

Daryl quirked a bit of smile, but kept his blue gaze trained on her scar.

"Just here to check on you." He answered nonchalantly.

Clementine's eyebrows rose.

"I'm fine."

He sat down next to her and set his crossbow down.

"How about you? Are you worried about Merle?" She asked, wondering why Daryl suddenly seemed so friendly towards her.

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and looked off into the woods.

"Nah. I ain't worried. Merle's tough as nails. Besides, they've only been gone for three days now. Probably be back later today or tomorrow." He answered.

Clementine nodded and bit her lip. She observed him silently. He was wearing jeans with various splatters and stains on them; she could only assume that some of them were dried blood from hunting and skinning animals. His shirt was brown and had its sleeves cut off, revealing his well-defined biceps. He was covered in dirt and various grime, but she had to admit he looked good.

"I have a question for you," She began.

Daryl turned his gaze back on her.

"Do you see walkers when you're out hunting?" She asked.

He nodded his head once, unsure of her intent.

"Will you teach me to kill them?"

He stared at her silently.

"My parents, they live in Atlanta. I need to find them. You heard what Shane said and even Merle agreed. I don't want to ask Shane for help. I think you know how I feel about him."

Daryl nodded and looked down, thinking. He certainly knew how she felt about Shane and he also knew how Shane felt about her. To Lori's dismay, Shane was strangely possessive of Clementine. Daryl had seen him approach her day after day to speak with her, even though Clementine was clearly hostile towards him. What Shane had to say to her, Daryl didn't know. The way Shane looked at her made him uneasy though. You'd think his secretive excursions with Lori would keep him distracted enough to leave Clementine alone.

He nodded.

"Alright. But you can't be using your gun and drawing them to the camp. You're going to have to learn with a knife. You have one?"

She shook her head no.

"Come with me," He said, grabbing his crossbow and standing up.

He hopped off the boulder and turned to offer her a hand. She lightly grasped it and hopped down beside him. His hand was warm and rough. She quickly let it go and followed him back towards the camp. He led her to his campsite and told her to wait a minute while he fumbled through a toolbox in the bed of his old pickup. After a moment he came back with a sheathed knife, which he handed to her. She carefully unsheathed it to reveal a large serrated hunting knife. The steel glinted in the sunlight as she turned it around.

"That's Merle's, so if you lose it, he'll be real mad at you." Daryl said seriously.

"I doubt Merle would ever…" She began, but was interrupted by Shane's angry voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, as he stomped over to the campsite.

Shane looked like he'd just woke up, but it was never too early for him to meddle in Clementine's affairs.

He placed himself directly in front of Clementine and loomed over her.

"Nothing that concerns you, Officer Walsh." She replied sarcastically, looking up at him and re-sheathing Merle's knife.

Shane looked expectantly at Daryl, who said nothing.

"I don't want you out there hunting. It's dangerous." Shane remarked in a gentler voice to Clementine.

"I honestly don't give a damn about what you do or don't want, Shane. I don't know how long that will take to sink into your thick skull." Clementine said aggressively, leaning in towards him.

Shane's jaw clenched visibly and he looked from Clementine to Daryl. Daryl looked tense, as though he was ready to intervene if the two came to blows. Sensing no one cared about his opinion, Shane quickly turned and tramped away again without another word.

"That was kinda fuckin' weird." Daryl muttered and led her towards the woods.

_This whole day has been kinda fuckin' weird_, Clementine thought to herself.

* * *

Daryl led Clementine deep into the woods. He held his crossbow at chest height and scanned the trees for movement, walker or otherwise. He found himself surprised at just how swiftly and silently she moved through the forest. At moments he completely forgot she was behind him, only remembering when he came to a sudden stop and she gently bumped into him.

Clementine found it easy to keep up with Daryl's quick pace. Her experience trekking through the Appalachians had increased her stamina drastically. She estimated they were nearly three miles from the camp when they found their first walker. Daryl spotted it before her. He abruptly stopped, turned to her, and silently pointed at it. The walker was a tall, tanned, middle aged man dressed in blood stained denim overalls. A large chunk of flesh was missing from his neck, exposing veins and frayed muscles. He shambled aimlessly towards them, unaware of their presence. The pungent odor of rotting flesh fell upon Clementine, causing her stomach to churn.

"Let me get this one. You pay attention." Daryl whispered, as he extended a hand for the hunting knife.

Clementine slipped it out of the back waist band of her jeans and handed it to him.

"Stay here." He instructed her, as he unsheathed the knife and gently pushed her behind the skinny trunk of an oak tree.

"Hey!" Daryl called out to the walker and attracting its attention, as he distanced himself from Clementine.

The rotting corpse turned and stupidly faced Daryl. Its teeth were black and decaying, but hungrily opened and closed at the sight of a potential meal. Daryl confidently strode up to the walker, catching Clementine off guard, and drove the knife straight through its eye. The walker collapsed to its knees. Daryl pulled the knife from its skull and it slumped forward into a heap of putrefied flesh. He wiped the knife on his jeans, as Clementine approached him.

"That's pretty much it. Just remember you gotta get 'em in the brain." Daryl mumbled, handing the knife back to her.

Clementine nodded, studying the walker with disgust. After a moment Daryl spoke.

"Let's keep going. Maybe we can find another."

They continued for nearly a mile, walking parallel to the camp, in silence before they came upon the next walker.

* * *

When Clementine saw him, her heart caught in her throat. He was facing away from them crouched over the carcass of a raccoon, wallowing in blood, and spasmodically kicking about in the leaves – completely distracted by a fresh kill. They walked within 30 feet of him, when Daryl held his hand out behind him, stopping her from walking forward. He turned halfway to her, keeping his body between her and the preoccupied walker.

"Think you could get this one?" He asked, studying her face for hesitation.

Clementine breathed heavily and watched the walker as he continued to ingest raw flesh. She couldn't see his face, but she guessed he was middle aged based on the little amount of hair that remained on his rotting skull. He was turned away from her and distracted – she knew there would be no better opportunity to strike than now. She nodded and gripped Merle's knife tightly.

"Just take it and plunge it into the back of his skull. I'll be right next to you in case something happens." Daryl whispered. Then he began to creep forward silently. She slowly followed, contemplating the dangerousness of the act she was about to commit. Sure, she had killed a walker already, but that had been with a gun. Hand to hand combat with a walker seemed a lot more risqué than simply pumping a bullet in their skulls.

Her heart beat faster as they came closer to the monster. How was it possible that a virus could render someone's humanity useless? How easily could this beast maul her and tear her to shreds? Was there any memories left in that seemingly hollow skull?

Clementine was right before him with Daryl standing at her side, ready at a moment's notice to intervene. She inhaled deeply, raised the knife with two hands and plunged it with great force into the walker's dull head. It slid in easier than she expected and the walker's body sank face first onto the ground. She tried to pull the blade out, but it was stuck in too far. Clementine placed the heel of her boot onto the man's head for leverage and wrenched the knife out. It was covered with brain matter and thickly congealed brown blood. She hastily wiped it on the ground, sheathed it, and looked up at Daryl. There was the hint of a smile on his face.

* * *

And that's all. My big fat return chapter. Hmm, can killing zombies be romantic?


	6. Chapter 6

Hey ya'll.

Okay so now we're starting to really get into the nitty gritty of the story where we begin to follow the plot of the show for this little story. However, I am not going to follow the plot exactly. More than likely situations may be removed (nothing integral to the essence of Walking Dead of course) and situations will be added. The dialogue will not be exact to what is in the show and may not even be similar, but I really don't have time to go back and watch all the episodes.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

* * *

_The highway won't hold you tonight_

_The highway don't know you're alive_

_The highway don't care if you're all alone_

_But I do, I do._

_The highway won't dry your tears_

_The highway don't need you here _

_The highway don't care if you're coming home_

_But I do, I do._

"Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw (featuring Keith Urban and Taylor Swift)

* * *

Daryl glanced over his shoulder as he walked away, watching as Merle and Clementine conversed. He didn't understand it. Why had those two gotten so friendly? He sat down on an old tree stump by his tent and studied them.

It didn't matter to him what Merle did or didn't do so long as it didn't threaten their survival or standing within the group. Sure, he'd prefer to be trail blazing on his own with Merle, but at this point a group seemed to be a safer option.

He watched as Merle parted from Clementine and approached him. Merle's face was stony, a reflection of the intense solemnity that very rarely rose from him. He stopped in front of Daryl and stared down at him.

"What you want?" Daryl asked.

"I need to ask you a favor," Merle began.

Daryl cut him off there.

"I ain't watching your girlfriend for you while you're gone." He muttered.

Merle chuckled.

"So that's what you think?" Merle asked.

Daryl looked up into Merle's eyes.

"It's what everyone thinks, isn't it?"

"Shit, little brother. You really don't know what's going on at all." He said as he leaned against a large oak tree.

"That is a good woman in a wicked world. Ain't many good women left. You know I don't like her like that. And don't you think I see the way you look at her? Don't act like you ain't interested." Merle continued.

Daryl could tell Merle was upset, but he felt a little embarrassed. Was he really that transparent?

"Girl like that don't want nothin' to do with a man like me." Daryl mumbled.

Merle starred hard at Daryl.

"Listen to me, when I'm gone you watch over her and make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble."

He stood and leaned towards Daryl, staring straight into his piercing blue eyes.

"I know what's good for you before you do, always have. That girl is better than good for you. She's just what a Dixon needs."

Daryl glared hard at Merle, not wanting to hear his brotherly lecture. Merle straightened up and walked away. Before he reached the tree line, he turned back to Daryl.

"Ain't worth surviving if you don't got anyone to hold onto at night."

* * *

Clementine followed behind Daryl as they walked back to camp. She was tired, but proud of her self for killing a walker with just a knife. _Wait till Merle hears_

_about this_, she thought to herself with a smile. She thought about Merle's parting words with her.

_Oh, don't you worry, Clem. Daryl will take good care of you._

The words echoed in her mind.

"Hey Daryl, before Merle left he said something kinda weird to me." She started.

Daryl was quiet for a moment.

"Merle says lots of weird shit." He responded.

Clementine lightly laughed.

"Yeah, I know that. But he said that you'd take care of me while he was gone. You know what he meant by that?"

Daryl shrugged as he continued to walk.

"Don't know. He told me to make sure I kept you out of trouble, but it seems to me that you're the kind of girl that can take care of herself."

Clementine couldn't help but smile.

"Of course I can." She replied.

* * *

"Who is that?" Clementine asked as she reached the tree line and peered into the camp.

Standing beside Shane, Lori, and Carl was a thin and pleasant looking man. Like Shane, he was wearing a police officer's uniform but atop his head was a cowboy styled officer's hat. He had a large gun holstered at his hip.

Daryl came up beside Clementine, wiped the sweat off his face, and squinted at the stranger.

"Hell, if I know," He replied.

They silently watched as Andrea, Amy, Carol, Sophia, T-Dog, and Glenn joined the group, smiling.

"Merle must be back!" Clementine said with an excited grin.

"Come on, let's go see him." She said, grabbing Daryl's rough hand and pulling him into the camp.

Daryl was somewhat surprised by her tight grasp on his hand. He wasn't all that used to physical contact and usually found it rather unsettling. He allowed Clementine to drag him through the camp towards the group. She stopped next to Andrea, Amy, T-Dog, and Glenn, still holding onto Daryl's hand. Shane glanced over at them, noting the hand holding and shooting Daryl a dirty look.

A rather awkward silence ensued.

"Who's this?" Clementine asked, motioning to the new arrival.

"This is my husband Rick," Lori said with an unusually tightlipped smile.

"Lori told us, the group, about you. You were in Atlanta too? Nice to meet you, I'm Clementine." Clementine said as she released Daryl's hand and leaned forward to shake Rick's.

Rick smiled warmly at Clementine.

"Rick helped to save the rest of our group while they were in Atlanta. They managed to get themselves into a bit of trouble." Shane added, crossing his arms and looking uncomfortable.

"Where's Merle?" Daryl asked, without introducing himself.

Rick looked down at his boots and then to T-Dog.

"Well, Daryl is it? There was a bit of a problem."

Clementine could feel Daryl tensing beside her.

"What the hell you mean by a bit of a problem?" Daryl growled.

"Carl, why don't you and Sophia go play by Dale and Jim?" Lori suggested, gently nudging Carl away from the group.

Carol nodded her approval. Neither mothers wanted their children to witness the growing prospect of a nasty fight. Carl and Sophia stepped away, but curiously looked back at the adults as they walked towards Dale's camper.

T-Dog stepped forward.

"Man, it was all my fault. We, we had to lock him up on the roof of the building that we were trapped in because he was shooting and drawing the walkers to us. He was high on some kind of drugs. And then I dropped the key and couldn't get it back. Shit man, we had to leave him there."

Daryl breathed deeply.

"You mean to tell me that you left my brother on a goddamn roof in the middle of walker infested Atlanta?"

Clementine could feel the rage radiating from Daryl's body. She also was in shock. How could they do that to Merle? Was he really on drugs? If he was, then what the hell was he thinking?

Daryl had his fists clenched and menacingly took a step towards T-Dog.

"Hey, stop." Clementine said calmly as she stepped in front of Daryl and gently placed a hand on his chest.

Clementine had experience diffusing fights between bar patrons, mostly men. She knew that Daryl needed a moment to fully process this awful information that T-Dog had just revealed before he could calm down. She stared straight into his deep blue eyes, not daring to look away. They revealed his fiery intentions and desperate need to find Merle. Without breaking eye contact Clementine spoke to him.

"We will go back to Atlanta and find him. Merle is one tough son of a bitch. He's still alive, you and I both know that."

After a few moments Daryl's hands unclenched and, while his face was still somber, he visibly relaxed. Clementine broke eye contact and glanced around. She noted that Rick and Shane had also stepped forward to intervene if needed. T-Dog, Glenn, and Andrea looked rather surprised. Clementine guessed they were wondering about Clementine's new found closeness to Daryl, who was easily the most mysterious member of the group.

Daryl abruptly turned and tromped away from the group, heading towards him and Merle's shared camp, leaving Clementine alone with everyone else. She turned and looked back at Rick and T-Dog.

"Shame on you for leaving him behind," She hissed glaring at them.

"There really wasn't a choice at that point. I will gladly go with Daryl to find him." Rick replied, with guilt in his eyes.

Lori stared up at him with a look of horror on her face.

"No, absolutely not. I've just found you. Carl and I need you. You can't go back there. I won't lose you again." Lori pleaded.

Clementine studied Lori. It was obvious that Lori loved Rick, yet she wondered how Lori's relationship with Shane would change now. Her gaze shifted from an embracing Rick and Lori to Shane. She was surprised to find his dark eyes on her. He passively looked her over, uncaring of her returned stare. Distracted by his strange observation, Clementine didn't feel Daryl next to her until he spoke.

"I'm ready to go. Anyone coming with me?" He muttered, looking at Rick and T-Dog with his crossbow thrown over his shoulder.

Rick was quiet for a moment.

"I'll go,"

Lori began to protest.

"Lori, I need to go. It's my fault that his brother is there. It's still early in the day. Since we have the cars and we know where we're going we can be there and back in a short amount of time."

Lori took a deep breath and nodded, understanding her husband's moral involvement in the situation.

"Anyone else?" Rick asked, surveying the group.

"I'll go," Glenn volunteered.

"I know Atlanta better than anyone else here." He added.

Rick nodded.

"I'll go too." Clementine said.

Shane exhaled a loud breathe.

"You certainly will not." He nearly spat, stepping towards her.

Clementine glanced at Rick to see his eyebrows raised and then at Daryl in order to defend her motives.

"Daryl, I…" She began.

He looked at down at her with an unusually soft expression that Clementine had never seen before.

"I promised Merle that I'd keep you safe and I ain't gonna break that now. Stay here with the group."

Clementine sighed in frustration and threw Shane an acidic glance. He actually had the gall to smile at her.

* * *

"Alright, let's go. We'll drive to the outskirts of the city and walk from there." Rick ordered, waving the small rescue group over.

Clementine watched as Daryl hopped into the Jeep without a backwards glance at her. She really hopped that they'd find Merle. No man, on drugs or not, deserved to die in such a horrid way. She cringed as she imagined a walker version of Merle. The thought heated her in a way that made her blood boil and brought hot tears to her eyes. Pushing the horrid image from her mind, she thought about Daryl. Clementine hoped Daryl would come back to the group safe too. He really was growing on her in a way she couldn't explain.

She watched the Jeep roll away and the rest of the group dispersed from around her. All but Shane. She felt a large warm hand rest on her shoulder and she knew it was him.

"What do you want?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"I warned you about the Dixons and you didn't listen to me." Shane said ominously.

Clementine whipped around to face him. His eyes were dark and dangerous. He towered over her small frame, yet she was unafraid.

"Shane, why do you care so much? You don't even know me." She calmly stated, tired of the whole situation.

"Those redneck fucks don't deserve you. You need someone like me to protect you." He growled, stepping closer to her.

Clementine held her ground and didn't back up.

"I don't need anyone to protect me. I can protect myself."

Shane gently grabbed her hand and placed it on his warm and muscular chest.

"You could have this." He whispered cockily.

Clementine looked up into Shane's eyes and sighed. _He just doesn't get _it, she thought warily. She attempted to withdraw her hand, but he held it tight.

"Shane, let me go." She said coldly, wrenching her hand from his grasp roughly.

Suddenly free of his grip, she turned and quickly marched back to her tent. She passed a grim looking Lori who had apparently witnessed the entire encounter.

"Don't look at that me that way. He's all yours, Lori." Clementine snapped as she walked by the tall and thin woman.

Lori looked shocked at Clementine's outburst and looked back down at the clothes she was folding.

Clementine zipped herself into the tent, removed Merle's knife from the waistband of her shorts, and roughly threw herself onto her sleeping bag. She thought about her parents. Were they still alive? She thought about Sam. Was he still alive? What would he do to her if he found her? She thought about Merle. Was he a walker now? Why was he doing drugs? She thought about Daryl. What if he got hurt? She thought about what just happened with Shane. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? She thought about the other group members. Did any of them even like her? She didn't really know what they thought of her, but until Merle and Daryl returned she felt as though she was completely and utterly devoid of friendship. That thought was disturbing. Mentally exhausted, she closed her eyes and drifted into a restless sleep.

* * *

Why the hell was Shane looking at her that way? Daryl didn't understand why, but it really pissed him off.

"I'll go too," Clementine volunteered.

Daryl exhaled slowly. Merle would kill him if he brought her into Atlanta, especially if it was as bad as the rest of the group claimed. No matter how competent she'd proved herself earlier, it just wasn't a good idea.

"You certainly will not,"

Shane's voice interrupted Daryl's thoughts. He stared hard at Shane as he stepped towards Clementine. _What the fuck is this guy's problem?_ He wondered to himself.

Clementine quickly turned her head back towards Daryl. She looked up at him earnestly. He could see an anxious yearning to help in her eyes.

"Daryl, I…" She began.

He cut her off.

"I promised Merle that I'd keep you safe and I ain't gonna break that now. Stay here with the group."

He threw Shane an icy glare, a warning. If he fucked with Clementine in anyway while he was gone, then Daryl would fuck him up in return. _What the hell? _Daryl wondered. _Is this jealousy?_ Did he care about Clementine? She certainly had grown on him in the past month, especially in the past few days. No wonder Merle wanted him around her. Unsure about these new feelings, he had the sudden urge to hold her in his arms and reassure her that he'd be safe and that they'd find Merle. But he fought the urge and turned away.

* * *

Clementine was idly sitting on the ground with Andrea and Glenn, listening to them retell their experiences in Atlanta. She was grim faced and Daryl wondered what was going through her head. He watched as Shane studied Clementine from afar, sitting in a chair under the shade of a tree. He casually strolled up to Shane and stood before him, blocking his line of sight to Clementine.

"What do you want Dixon?" Shane asked roughly.

"She don't want you. Simple as that."

Shane stood up and leaned into Daryl, attempting to intimidate him.

"Stay out of it, you piece of white trash." Shane growled.

"Listen to me, Walsh. If you touch her, I'll fuck you up. I ain't joking."

Daryl's voice was calm and venomous. His tone surprised Shane, who stepped back.

Rick called out for him and Glenn. Daryl gave Shane a seething look.

"I mean it." He snarled.

Then he turned around and walked past Clementine. As he got into the Jeep with Rick and Glenn, he silently prayed. He wasn't normally a religious man, but he prayed that they'd find Merle alive and thanked God that Merle had enough sense to know what was right for his brother before even he did.

* * *

And that's chapter six! Hope you enjoyed it. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hey everyone! I'm writing this story for ya'll instead of doing homework for my online class. Hope you're appreciative. :P

Anyway, let's get to it. Here's Chapter 7. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_Hey hey, it's alright_

_Everybody fusses, everybody fights_

_With all the baggage you and me carry_

_We'll spend forever unhappily married._

"Unhappily Married" by The Pistol Annies

* * *

The sight before them was despicable. Horrific. All that remained of Merle was a lone hand and a trail of dried brown blood. Daryl silently cursed, wondering if he'd ever see his brother again. He hoisted his crossbow to chest height, scanned the rooftop and began to follow the appalling stains with Rick and Glenn in tow.

* * *

When Clementine awoke, it was the late afternoon. She stepped out of her tent and stretched her stiff body. _The boys should be back soon if everything went okay_, she thought to herself as she walked down to the cool placid lake. Carol, Jacqui, and Lori were washing clothes with Ed standing close by as a guard.

"Need any help?" She asked, squatting down beside Jacqui.

Carol and Jacqui smiled warmly at Clementine, while Lori scowled.

"Well, this is a first." Lori said under her breath.

It was true. Clementine rarely offered the women her help. She had spent the majority of the past month hiking around the edges of the camp with Merle, gathering edible plants for the group. There'd been occasions where she hadn't brought enough food on her hikes and had supplemented her diet with native plants. Sure, they weren't always tasty, but they were nutritious. Now that she'd tackled her first walker without a gun, she could go on ever further trips to find more food supplies. However, today she wanted to stay close to the camp and wait for Merle and Daryl's return.

Carol frowned at Lori's comment.

"We'd love your help." She answered genuinely.

Jacqui stood and grasped a pile of laundry and handed it to Clementine. Clementine placed it down on the sand beside her grasped the first item, a plaid cotton shirt with the sleeves cut off. Eyeing the rest of the pile, she realized that it was all of Daryl's clothes. She looked to Jacqui to see her playful grin.

"Now you've got another excuse to talk to him." Jacqui said with a light laugh.

_Is that what they think? They think I like Daryl? _Clementine wondered.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I barely even know him." She said attempting to suppress a smile.

Carol knowingly rolled her eyes.

"Sweetie, we all see the way he looks at you."

Lori was completely ignoring them and staying out of the conversation.

"No way in hell am I ready for a relationship with anyone," Clementine muttered as she tried in vain to scrub the blood stains from Daryl's shirt.

"And why is that?" Jacqui asked lightly.

Clementine sighed. Should she open up to these women? This group might be her only company till this whole walker problem got solved. She bit her lip, contemplating the possible effects of telling the truth.

"I left my husband a week or two before this shit started. I was going to divorce him because he was abusive." She answered quietly.

The three women to her right looked up from their laundry at her. Clementine noted that even Lori's expression seemed to have softened. Jacqui's eyes were full of compassion and Carol looked unusually nervous.

"That's horrible, Clementine." Jacqui said gently, shaking her head.

Clementine shrugged and began to scrub a pair of Daryl's jeans.

"No human should have to live like that." She replied.

The women were silent for a moment and then Andrea strolled up from behind and joined them with her own pile of laundry.

"What an unusual sight," She began sarcastically, glancing at Ed, who was lounging lazily against the boulder.

"The women are working and the men are relaxing." Andrea finished as she squatted down next to Clementine and dumped her clothes on the ground.

Clementine smirked. She agreed with Andrea, except for a few hardworking male exceptions, the women seemed to keep the camp together and functioning.

Ed stood from his position and walked towards the small group of women.

"What'd you say?" He asked harshly.

Carol stiffened instantly.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Ed." Carol said quickly, attempting to smooth the situation over.

"No, Carol. I'm sorry, but I do mean it. I said that the women here are always the hardworking ones. You don't do shit for the camp. You just sit there and relax while we do all the manual labor." Andrea said as she stood and faced Ed.

"Fuck you. You're just a dumb bitch. I've had enough of this. I'm not going to let any of you poison my wife's mind with this bull shit." Ed shouted and advanced toward Carol.

He grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her up, ignoring the clean but damp laundry on her lap that poured back into the sand and lake water.

"Ed, stop!" She cried out as he pulled her away.

"Shut up!" He screamed as he raised his hand up high above her.

He let it forcefully fall and a loud smacking loud echoed into the air as he backhanded her. The tension in the air was palpable as Carol began to sob loudly. Clementine stood and stamped towards Ed. Bile was rising into her throat and adrenaline surged through her veins. She had been in Carol's position for far too long and wasn't about to let Ed hurt any woman at that camp.

"Get your fucking hands off of her, Ed." Clementine growled.

Surprised by the menace in her voice, Ed pushed Carol away.

"What the hell are you going to do, little girl?" Ed asked as he moved into a defensive stance.

Andrea and Jacqui stared at Clementine and Ed from their standing positions by the lake. Lori turned and ran towards the camp.

"I'm gonna fuck you up," Clementine said clearly and calmly as she slowly approached him.

* * *

Her fists rained down on his face again and again. It was a therapeutic experience to watch the blood gush from his broken nose.

"Stop, Clementine!" Carol screamed, crying on the ground.

She couldn't stop. Once she started, she just couldn't stop. He wasn't Ed anymore, he was Sam. She didn't feel the pain of the punch he'd landed on her right eye, although her eyesight was a bit blurry. She didn't feel the pain of her bloody knuckles.

Strong arms pulled her off and stood her up. Shane's face was in front of hers, bright eyed and worried. He sat her down gently and kneeled in front of her.

"Holy fucking shit. Are you okay?" He asked with both hands on the sides of her face.

She nodded, wide eyed. She glanced over at Ed. Carol was kneeled over him, sobbing as she surveyed the damage.

_Fuck, did I really just do that?_ The realization hit her. She'd just beat the shit out of Carol's husband.

"Look at me, Clementine. Can you see alright? He nailed you pretty badly in the eye."

Clementine took a deep breath and looked around. Lori was standing with Jacqui and Andrea. They were alternating between staring at Ed and Carol and Shane and Clementine with shocked expressions.

Shane stood and walked to Ed.

"Listen to me you piece of shit. If anyone ever catches you with your hands on a woman again, it will be me beating the shit out of you and not some little girl. Got that?"

Shane prodded Ed roughly in the ribs with his boot and turned back toward Clementine.

"Come here, let's get you cleaned up." He said as he grasped her elbow and pulled her to her feet.

She obediently followed him to his tent, too shocked to resist.

"Am I going to get kicked out of the group?" She asked, as he sat her down on his cot.

Shane grabbed a first aid kit from a duffle bag and stared down at her with a surprised look.

"Why the hell would we kick you out?" He asked with amusement clear in his dark eyes.

He sat down beside her and took one of her hands. They were beginning to bruise already and were bleeding.

"Because I just beat the shit out of Carol's husband, even though he deserved it." She said quietly.

Shane smiled a bit.

"This will sting." He said as he poured disinfectant onto a cotton cloth and then dabbed her injuries on her hand.

She didn't wince and he continued on to her other hand. Shane took gauze from the kit and wrapped her hands lightly.

"Let me see your eye," He placed his large hands on her face to hold her head steady and leaned forward to study her.

"It looks like it's gonna swell pretty bad. It's already turning purple. He must have nailed you pretty bad. You know if you were with me, this would have never happened."

Clementine rolled her eyes.

"Don't even start, Shane. I'm obviously in no mood."

Shane released her face and shrugged.

"Can't blame a guy for trying can you?" He asked softly.

Clementine stood and walked to the entrance of the tent. She turned to Shane.

"When they try as hard as you, I sure can."

Then she walked away.

* * *

She was sitting on an old tree stump with her back to the road, when the Jeep pulled up. The doors opened and slammed shut. Three of them, she counted. That meant someone wasn't returning. _Great, guess this day just ain't gonna get any better_, Clementine thought to herself. She sighed as Glenn and Rick walked past her. _One. Two._ Two people safe back at camp. Who was the third?

"Stay out of trouble?" A familiar voice asked, walking in front of her.

_Three._

Her face was down. She stared at the boots of Daryl.

_Merle ain't coming back_.

"You tell me." She stated as she turned her face up to Daryl.

She watched his eyes widen as he took in her current state. Her eye was swelling largely and purple bruises exuded outwards, spilling over to the top of her cheek bone. Daryl grabbed her and pulled her up.

"Who the fuck did this to you?" He growled.

Clementine sighed and recounted the story to a very concerned Daryl.

"Shit," he muttered, running his hand through his hair.

"I know," Clementine said bleakly.

"I should have never left you alone. I promised Merle I'd keep you safe and I fucked up. Where the hell is Ed? I'm gonna beat the shit out of him." Daryl said gruffly.

"That won't be necessary, Daryl."

Clementine and Daryl looked up to see Rick and Shane standing before them. Daryl tensed visibly.

"Looks like Clementine already gave him a pretty good beating." Rick explained with a concerned look on his face.

"Shane and Lori told me everything that happened." He added, hands on his hips.

"While I obviously don't think what Ed did was right, next time you be sure to come find me or Shane instead of jumping in yourself. We don't want you getting hurt again." Rick continued in a very polite officer of the law manner.

Clementine nodded. Rick turned and walked away, while Shane lingered longer, watching Clementine and Daryl.

"You watch yourself Dixon, that little girl's a dangerous one." Shane said with a dark smile before turning around and following Rick.

Daryl glared at Shane's back as he walked away. Sensing his hostility, Clementine gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about him. I can hold my own in a fight," She said with a little smile.

Daryl was still tense. She gently pushed him into a sitting position on the tree stump that she had occupied before.

"Tell me about Atlanta." Clementine said seriously.

Daryl stared off at the setting sun before he looked back up at Clementine.

"We found his hand. He cut it off with a saw to get out of the handcuffs they'd used."

Clementine gasped.

"There was a trail of blood and we followed it. It looks like he was able to cauterize the wound, but we couldn't find any trace of him beyond that."

Daryl sighed heavily.

"Shit," Clementine muttered.

"I'm so sorry, Daryl."

She pulled him into a standing position and embraced him tightly, pushing her small frame against his muscular body. Her bandaged hands wound into his hair as she held him close. Perhaps it was the stress of fighting with Ed, being cared for by Shane, and knowing that Merle was handless and alone in the streets of Atlanta, but Clementine began to cry. Before she knew it, she was sobbing hard into Daryl's shoulder. Merle was her best friend in this brand new world and he was gone. Most likely dead.

"Shhhh…." Daryl whispered, trying to sound soothing.

He had no experience attempting to pacify a crying woman.

"I need to do something I should have before I left," He mumbled.

Confused, Clementine leaned back with tears streaking down her face and black eye swelling further and looked up at Daryl.

He kissed her gently.

* * *

I'm guessing most of you are liking where this is going. :D Thanks for reading!


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